July 22, 2009

Making a scene

I'm off to Comic-con in San Diego tomorrow. I've read all the Eisner nominees in our category, and they're fantastic and completely different from each other. If I had to vote, you know, I'd vote for rapunzel's revenge, but only if I absolutely had to. I hope to get some good photos for the pleasure of ya'll. I'm really wishing I had an Orion slave girl costume, but don't think I could stand all that green body makeup.

I was asked in a Q&A recently if I'd learned any short cuts over the years in my writing process. Only one came to mind.

I tend to write pretty linearly when doing a first draft, starting at the beginning and going forward. I have pages of notes before I start a first draft, but the actual telling of the story always changes what I thought I would do. What I assume will be the midpoint ends up 90% through the story, or in the first third. Big events I think will happen don't make sense anymore. And so on.

But as I'm writing, I do get ideas both for later events in the book or for other books. I used to just write a quick note. That's changed. Now I write it out in scene, with dialog, narration, whatever it requires. This saves time later. Often when I get the idea, it's so clear in my head I think a note will do. But a month later when I read it, it's flat and uninteresting and I don't have the essence of it anymore. Writing in scene helps me capture that moment more fully, preserve it so I can consider it later. Also, it's more fun.

Comments

I agree with writing the scene as opposed to just a note for substance. This applies to journal writing as well. Often a note doesn't provide enough to jog my memory but a "scene" even if it's a quick jotting of essentials provides me with enough info to flesh out the entry at a later time.

Thank you so much to you and Dean for signing Rapunzel's Revenge for Jessica (and Amy for getting it for her!-it's the only book of yours we didn't have)-and I did love the ARC of The Actor and the Housewife.

I don't think I'll see you at Comic-Con (I could only snag Sunday passes, and I think you'll be gone by then...*tear*). But I'll keep an eye out just in case...

Thanks for the writing tip. I started doing the same thing a few months ago, so now I feel like I'm doing something right--though I wish I could write linearly on my drafts, like you. I jump all over the place...which means I'm probably doing five times the work...but I can't seem to make my brain stay in one place. That's why I have the beginning and the end of my draft almost right, and some great stuff in the middle, and a whole bunch of nothing connecting them. *sighs*

Oh Comic Con. I blurted it out today when I saw a friend was going and hubby turned to me and said, "Since when do you care about Comic Con?" There always seems to be interesting stuff going on there.

Speaking of which I heard something interesting from a friend who went last year. She said it was smelly. I have a guess as to why but now you're gonna be aware of it huh? :) Seriously though have a good time and take a few pics to share (or hand your camera to someone to take pics for you--wish I could be that person).

BRILLIANT! Writing the essence of a scene out is what I need to start doing. I jot down too many dizzying notes and then I have to piece it all together. Sometimes it's sort of similar to translating ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. I knew there was a trick out there, but seriously you just made it so simple, I feel sheepish. I'll have to apply you little tidbit. Thanks!

Have fun at Comic-con! That's a great idea to write out the scene. When I first started writing my novel, it all came to me so quickly that I did as many scenes like that as I could. You can always go back to fill things out and revise eight times or whatever. I imagine that sketching out future scenes like that can also help you recover some passion for the project when you are at a seeming dead end.

I completely agree with the writing in scenes thing. I have found random little notes in my notebooks before and been sooo mad I couldn't remember what the heck was going on through my head! Writing a scene does help, and that's been what I'm doing lately, especially, like Shannon M. said, I tend to skip around with my writing a lot.

This is unrelated to your recent post, but I just wanted to tell you I read The Actor and The Housewife and I wanted to tell you why I loved it.
1. I laughed.
2. I cried.
3. I read it all in one day. (I haven't done that since Twilight.)
4. I couldn't stop thinking about it after I finished.
5. I had a dream about the characters.
6. I am still thinking about it.
6. It has inspired me to take one of the story ideas that has been bouncing around in my head and actually write it down.

Comic-con seems to be the happening place to be this weekend. I only wish I could go and see you and all the other cool celebrities.

Thanks for sharing the tip about writing in scenes. A friend and I were talking about how that seems to be a good way to keep ideas straight, and it's heartening to hear from a successful author that we're on the right track.

I was at Comic-Con yesterday but couldn't find any sign of you, Shannon. I asked all around but no one knew anything about your being there. And your publisher was apparently not represented at any of the booths. Where were you?

Thanks for the great tip, Shannon. I was working on a revision of my novel today and had an idea for a scene in another novel, and I just jotted down a few words. Now I'll go back and flesh out the scene a little so I don't forget.

Egyptians compiled an individualized book for each person at their death, called the "Book of Going Forth by Day". This book is more commonly known as the Book of the Dead. It usually contained declarations and spells to help the deceased in their afterlife. The "Book of the Dead" for scribe Ani from Thebes is the manuscript called the Papyrus of Ani.